Friday, May 04, 2007

April was not too crazy on the biz travel scene. I drove down to Pennsylvania and took a trip up through NH for some client visits. The Interphex trade show took place from April 24-26 at the Javits Center in NYC (I internally marvelled at what the energy bill must be for that place). I decided to take the Acela Express High Speed Rail service from the 128/Westwood station to Penn Station. Taking the train was a great option, and I would love to see an investment in rail travel in heavily populated regions (like the Northeast). As my boss said, "rail is a very civilized way to travel". There were no security hassles (though I could see that changing in the future), no baggage issues, no restrictions on electronics use (except if you're in the quiet car), and instead of arriving dried out and stressed, I walked out of the station relaxed and excited to be in another city. The only minor complaint I have is that the quality of the ride was so-so at best. I remember trekking around Europe with college friends courtesy of the Eurail Pass and their wonderful (and prompt) rail system, and for the most part, the tracks were smooth and regular.Business Auto mileage:877 miles798 driving alone + 79 miles as a passenger (from 158 "actual passenger miles"; I use my scientific "fudge factor", dividing passenger miles by 2, to obtain my contribution).

Air Travel:Not this month

Rail Travel:~434 milesAcela Express round trip from 128/Westwood to Penn Station, NYC round trip.I have been remiss in my carbon tracking, and I am hoping that the folks at NativeEnergy will help me figure out the best way to offset my emissions over the next few months.